The Ragnarok diaries
by Eclectica167
Summary: The children of Asgard weren't the only ones on that cliff top in Norway. Sophie gets dragged into an adventure she never dreamed possible, and meets a familiar face - Loki of Asgard. This might truly be a battle for survival. Now in four chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Dear Diary,

Wow, those are words I haven't typed for about 20 years, when I outgrew my 12 year old obsession with documenting my every moment. So, why now? Why the need to write this?

Maybe it's because it might give me a way to actually understand and come to grips with what has happened over the last few weeks. It's also because there are somethings that I _definitely_ want to remember. Which reminds me if anyone else ever reads this I have to warn you there will be swearing and, let's just say, things of a very very personal nature that occurred that I am going to write down in great detail. Because those things I definitely don't want to forget about. I should also warn any readers that this isn't a full account of what happened on Sakaar or the fall of Asgard. I wasn't at all of it, and I'm no good at recounting battles or epic heroics I'm afraid. Luckily Asgardians are great at three things: feasting, drinking and writing sagas. Read those. They are also very good dressers, sort of like a celestial GAP look, all very colour coordinated.

Sorry, I digress. Anyway, the most important reason I'm writing this is that I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow, and I'm scared that whatever 'this' is won't be this when I tell him what I need to. He's here now in the room with me, laying under the gold silk sheets as I write this at the desk nearby. Asleep he looks almost angelic, with a body that sets me so completely alight that I'm going to have to work hard not to become very distracted...

Ok, so to start this at the right point I'm going to give a bit of context about why I was in Norway standing on a clifftop in the first place. A few months before, although it seems a lifetime now, my ex decided to become my ex. He had decided that he 'didn't see a future for them going forward because she was too emotionally distant and could do with losing a few pounds' but apparently did see a future in my size 6 ex-room mate he was now shagging. Emotionally distant of course because I was still grieving for my mother I had lost last year, spending months travelling down to Cornwall to support her through her cancer. Too tired to go to the gym as I was working a crap job because it was the only thing I could get when we moved to Reading so my boyfriend could start his dream job. Although how anything counts as a dream job in sodding IT, I don't know. I know I sound bitter, and I was. I was also sad, confused and desperately wanting to start over. So I'd finally made the trip to Norway, to honour my mother's wishes and to rid my head, and heart, of my ex.

As to why I had to go to a random cliff in Norway? All I knew is that my mother had wanted me to go there, to understand about where I had come from. I loved that woman with all my heart but she had never, ever spoken about my father. Perhaps stupidly I never pushed because I didn't want to hurt her, and so Norway was all I had.

The locals had told me the views from the cliffs were stunning, and they'd been right, so I hadn't been surprised to realise I was sharing the panoramic views with another. Just ahead stood the figure of an old man wearing a slightly tatty linen suit, just staring into the distance. I'd sat on a nearby pile of rocks, nestled in the long grass from the breeze and hopefully giving him the solitude he perhaps wanted, and that I too had come for.

So it was those rocks that only a few moments later I found myself hiding behind as, and this was the only phrase that seemed to make any sense at the time and now, "shit got weird" when two men had arrived through a circle of fire. When that sort of quieted down, I peeked over the top to see a woman in black with antlers appearing through a black storm cloud. At this point I have to admit, I'm not particularly heroic so I had crouched back down, ignoring the growing cramp in my legs, and hoped that they might just all go away.

Of course, that was the moment that I got dragged up a column of rainbow lights and then dumped on a completely different planet.

I woke up dazed on a rubbish tip being considered as a snack by extras from a Mad Max had only been good luck that I'd been picked up by one of the many small space ships circling through the air on the lookout for new arrivals. Grabbed by someone who smelt appallingly I'd been chained, stabbed in the neck with a big metal button and then manhandled into the vessel.

I hadn't immediately noticed that there was another passenger, he was sitting silently, looking as at home as you could be while wearing chains and with someone threatening you with a gun. Although, to be fair, he is pretty used to being in chains.

I can still remember the slight smile on his face when he had glanced over at me as his gaze took in my denim shorts and ripped t-shirt. He then promptly ignored me, trying instead to engage our captor in polite conversation. Of course, I'd recognised him in an instant, he'd been there on the cliffs - not dressed the same, but I was pretty sure it was him, before I'd dived behind the rocks a second time. Yes, I know, not the most heroic of actions - but I'd got a huge fright when they had suddenly appeared out of ring of fire. I was easily frightened two weeks ago.

What froze me in terror though was that I had also recognised him from the news reports a couple years ago - Loki, God of Asgard. He wasn't wearing those stupid horns, but almost every inhabitant of Earth had seen the news footage and read the stories about what he had done in Stuttgart and in New York and been horrified. The brutality, the obvious disdain for human life, and here he was, almost within touching distance. I put my head down but kept looking over at him, hoping like hell he wouldn't notice. It was like finding a wild animal suddenly in your lounge, a wolf perhaps. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stroke its beautiful fur and coo at it or run away screaming while it tried to rip my throat out.

And the truth was that he was beautiful - and it was completely unfair that I looked like someone who'd been dumped in a pile of crap and dragged through it, while his black and green leather clothes looked immaculate and closely fitted to his lean, strong body. Seeing him so close, and while not in the middle of causing death and destruction, I had to admit that he was better looking in person and that he had a certain physical appeal - if you were into beautiful, magnetically attractive men. Who thought that 'mortals' were best placed on their knees, submitting to him, worshipping him. I felt my face redden and cursed myself for it. How could I even think of that now?

My inappropriate thoughts were broken as the creature with the gun shouted and my head was viciously yanked up by my hair, exposing my neck and the gold chain around it. The pain as it was torn from my neck was nothing compared to the complete and instant devastation I felt.

"No, not that, please not that, take anything else but that. It was my mother's " I screamed, tears coming, and I descended into sobbing. She'd always worn it, a small golden pendant on a chain that looked like a funny shaped F. It meant everything to me. The bastard just laughed and took it into the pilot to show him his trophy. After all the stuff that had happened to me, that was the one thing that nearly broke me. It sounds like such a little thing, but it kept her memory close to me and I was desolate.

From the other side of the cabin I heard what sounded like an exasperated sigh.

"Stop your mewling! Rule One of survival - don't show any weakness". Loki paused. "Although given the look you just gave me you are probably from Midgard. In that case it might be difficult given your innate nature as a race - weakness is rather in your character"

That stopped my crying. I turned my head slowly and stared at him in disbelief. _(just realising I feel like I should be footnoting this thing, because Loki now swears he was, sort of, trying to help. Not entirely convinced by that though. Sorry, as I was saying)_

"What?" my tone was hard yet calm. It was the same tone of voice I had used when my ex boyfriend had told me that our three year relationship was over. I paused, trying to make sure I formed my phrases exactly right so he understood clearly how I felt.

"Why don't you shove your 'advice' up your arse, with that ridiculous horned thing you decided to wear when you VERY unsuccessfully tried to invade my planet?" I continued, my previous despair replaced with righteous anger?

"So why don't you fuck back off to Asgard, OH NO, you can't because you are in chains as WELL!"

At that point I decided to look intently out of the window on my side of the ship and watch the piles of waste and discarded bits of junk from everywhere in the Universe flash by underneath. I did hear something that sounded a little like a chuckle but I was determined not to gratify him with any more of my time or notice.

So by the time we were presented to the 'Grandmaster' (seriously though, who calls themselves that?) Loki looked calm, in control and put on the charm and I stood there mute, angry and very conscious of the sheer weird beauty of the building and people around me while I was looking like hell and definitely wishing I was wearing more clothes. Loki had ignored me on the way here, and I had ignored him, except for an occasional glance just to make sure that he was ignoring me as much as I was ignoring him. His mind was apparently elsewhere, trying to work the odds, find an angle to his advantage, the usual Loki strategy I've realised.

I remember standing in front of the Grandmaster, trying to loosen the metal bands they had fitted around my wrists, staring at all very busy and beautiful people in the huge rooms around us. It was like being in the middle of a huge and very wonderful party, but I was in chains, and not in a good way. Given the reception and introduction we had been provided with, I knew that the Master must indeed be very powerful and scary but it was hard to take anyone seriously when they had on too much electric blue eyeliner and face paint.

I was so distracted it took all my effort to drag my attention back to the conversation that Loki and the Master had struck up, getting on famously. The only thing I was getting, I noticed, was withering looks from the Grandmaster's grim female assistant who was holding a very ominous orange headed stick.

"And her…" Three sets of eyes descended on me. Oh fuck, they were talking about me.

"Did she come with you. Is this your Pet, did you bring her with you?" The Grandmaster asked Loki smiling, gesturing languidly in my direction.

I looked at Loki who seemed to be considering an answer, his lips curling into either a grin or denial. The complete unfairness of the situation and the crap of the last few hours finally took their toll.

"His!?" I snarled at the Grandmaster who slightly recoiled at my vehemence.

"Like fuck I am. I've got better taste than that. He tried to invade Earth and make slaves of us all! I'd rather die. I'd rather cut out my heart with a spoon than have anything to do with the slimy git!"

"Apologies, she has a rather indelicate turn of phrase" said Loki, using a condescending tone that make me want to kick him really really hard.

"OOh feisty, we like feisty don't we Topaz?" beamed the Grandmaster, although I was getting a bit worried about the way she was still pointing at me with the big orange headed stick.

"Feisty, I've give you fucking feisty!" I desperately pulled against the two guards holding my arms, but stopped, a little unsure of wisdom of my previous outburst as the Grandmaster seemed to be considering them as an actual option, well at least Topaz did. Loki on the other hand, looked amused by me which did not improve my mood.

The Grandmaster smiled " Loki, I have to say I like a man with ambition, even if it doesn't quite succeed" He seemed to really like Loki, but his smile faded slightly as he turned back to me, and my stomach twisted in fear. Never underestimate a man with blue eyeliner.

"but you young lady - while I appreciate your spirit and your desperation to end your wretched existence, death is such a boring thing, let's make this fun." He turned to his dour companion Topaz

"She's got a bit of get up and go, let's see if she's a contender". As I was dragged away, I looked back at Loki who shrugged almost apologetically and then gone back to his conversation with his new friend.

"Fucker" I may have growled.

Well, I had been wrong to worry about the inappropriate shortness of my shorts and tshirt- clothing wise things had only gotten worse. Well, medieval was probably a more accurate term. I'd been thrown into a weird sort of circular cell and had my own clothes taken away so I was forced to wear what I supposed was some sort of gladiator outfit. The cell was already occupied by a couple of human sort of looking men, a rock man ( _Korg, love Korg)_ , a sort of large slug like creature with knives for hands. And me. Dressed up in what could only described as like a really anti feminist pervy Wonder woman costume - if, given the smell and the stains, Wonder woman had been wearing something obviously worn by at least 10 women before, all of whom had had boobs at least a cup size smaller than me. The corset did come with a skirt, although the term was rather too generous for the three inches of fabric that made contact with the very tops of my thighs. It was mostly made of tan leather, as were most of what the others were wearing. I looked like an extra from Spartacus.

After a very uncomfortable night, due to a) not really having anywhere to sleep b) being quite aware that some of the other gladiators were a little _too_ interested in me (although Korg did make himself my unofficial bodyguard), we went down to the arena area for 'sparring practice and weapon stuff'. This mostly involved me picking through racks of weapons on the first day, with absolutely no idea of what to do with any of them. Some looked positively gruesome and too heavy to consider. Korg had tried to help and in the end I went for a battered sword I could at least lift and a small shield. He tried to teach me some decent blocks so I'd at least last a few seconds without losing my head, but lovely guy though he is, he can be a little downbeat and he seemed pretty pessimistic about my chances at survival.

Not that I could blame him. Any athletic prowess was due to about 5 Crossfit classes I had attended over the last year and the occasional (slow) job around my local park. Given that my complete fighting knowledge came from watching Vikings and Game of Thrones box sets while eating chips, I couldn't blame Korg for his low estimate of my survival chances.

The next day we were told that we would fight in the evening, and that I'd have my own, personal 1 to 1 fight. Korg whistled softly when he heard this and looked even more concerned - well, as concerned as a face made out of granite can look I suppose.

"Wow man, that's really unlucky" was all he would say, and then patted me on the shoulder. Not only did that hurt, it also made me very worried. I later found out that most women who were gladiators got to do sort of group fights, more for the spectacle of women wearing not very many clothes manhandling each other to the delight of the crowd. Sort of mud wrestling but with no mud, and with a blunted sword. For some reason that wasn't going to be my fate - the other team no longer had a female gladiator at all, so I was going to have a real fight against a guy, with a very sharp sword. Apparently the audiences at these things liked to see women bleed and die as well/

I should have been panicking, crying, shitting myself in fear, but although I hated him for it, I knew Loki was right. Weakness wouldn't get me through this.

On the afternoon before 'kick-off' we spent time getting ready in a holding area, which for some weird reason was beside a bar - taking the whole gladiator spectator sport to yet a new level. Unfortunately we seemed to draw quite a crowd as gamblers and punters tried to decide who would be a good bet. I noticed that I attracted a bit of interest as a novelty, but I could have laid bets I was being touted as a short-lived one.

"Nice outfit, very ….fetching.." I looked up from where I was sharpening my new sword to see him standing on the other side of the laser wires that separated the two areas.

To be honest, I had really tried not to think about him at all over the last few days. I had certainly not let myself consider whether I should have waited to hear his answer - and what would I would be doing now if he had said yes. I refused to acknowledge that I felt any attraction for him, although I had a horrible suspicion that my mind and body were of different opinions on this. I could feel my whole skin prickle when he was near and my breath catch in my chest. Meanwhile my mind that kept screaming that he was completely and utterly bad news -quite literally. Perhaps some of my body's reaction was fear not lust - I was entirely justified in being afraid of him.

I'd watched CNN, seen the destruction, the terror and the utter contempt for human life. What was it that he had said in Germany? Oh, that was it, he thought that 'mortals' should kneel before him in submission. Fuck, why did I keep thinking of that, it really didn't help. Keeping my eyes firmly on his face, could feel my own face grow pinker. Yup, ok, that was definitely a thing not to think about…

"What do you want? Shouldn't you be planning world domination, or doing _whatever_ it is you are doing with the Grandmaster to stay alive?" I tried the sarcastic approach, and hoped he hadn't noticed that he was getting to me.

"I'm having a short break. No, I thought I would come down, see what lovely new friends you were making… and of course give you that chance to beg for me to get you released .." he drawled, with that cut glass almost upper class English accent he somehow had.

Never show weakness I thought as I tried a humourless chuckle and walked closer to the wires, our faces almost touching through the shimmering red lines.

"Fuck you"I said quietly.

"That is very much part of the plan, but first, I think the begging" his voice was soft as his eyes took a languid look over my body which I knew my leather outfit only accentuated. I felt myself blush deeper as I took in the intention behind his words. This wasn't going well.

" I never beg for anything" I replied, trying rid of my voice of any tremor.

"When you change your mind, and you will… I'll be here" He laughed and started to walk away, but paused, then turned back to where I was still standing at the barrier. His smile and swagger were still there, but there was another emotion playing across his face that I couldn't quite place.

"Take this" he slide a slim blade under the lazers and I picked it up. I'd never thought a knife could be beautiful before, but this one was. Narrow, with a curved smooth hilt to hold it, it gleamed dark black, almost green. I'd never seen anything like it. I looked at him questioningly, confused as to why he was giving it to me.

"Put it inside your boot, you won't be able to feel it, but when you reach for it, it will be there" I did as he told me, and he was right, I couldn't feel any discomfort having it shoved down there - just a sense of security.

He'd completely flummoxed me, why was he being helpful? He seemed to read my thoughts.

"Rule 2: whenever possible - cheat. I've got a large wager on you tomorrow, try not to die" and then he left, and I just stood there watching him go and trying to work out whether I should feel grateful. I decided against it.

So, yeah, the fight. We were the red team, I knew this because slaves would come up and daub us with stripes of the colour, so I looked like Wonder woman but with red face paint. There were a few planned fights each tournament. Korg and Miekke went out for a group pitched battle - five of ours against five of theirs. Three returned, the last one bleeding heavily, he fell into back into our holding pen. I went to go over to help but Korg held me back.

"Nothing we can do but wait, chest wound, right in the lung, poor Doug" he said sadly

Two solo fights - firstly huge mountain of a man from our team fighting a similar sized fighter from the blue team. We watched through the bars of the arena gates as he lost quickly and was dragged off. Nerves, fear, I'm not sure how to explain how I felt when I entered the arena.

I was deafened by the roar of the crowds from above, and almost paralyzed by the overwhelming size and colour of it all. Fear had turned to gut wrenching panic as I'd seen my opponent enter from the other side - it took all my will not to run screaming back to the gate through which I'd been pushed and beg to be let back in. I knew that was death, I'd get a sword to the back as soon as I turned, but how could I stand and face the alternative? The guy opposite me was huge, massive arms holding a sword twice the size of mine.

And then, sorry, well I really don't remember much. Maybe ask Korg, he saw it. All I can recall, apart from small disjointed fragments is the clarity and stillness that I'd felt as my opponent had charged at me. I'd had the same feeling before, when I was in a car accident, skidding off an icy road on a sharp bend. Everything slowed down, everything became crystal clear. I can remember blocking his furious sword thrust and feeling like it was the most natural thing in the world when I spun and sliced through the back of his leather jerkin with my blade. It was like doing a dance but I hadn't realised I knew the steps.

At the end I found myself panting and bloody kneeling on the sand, the arena erupting into applause for "Red Red Red". For me. I got up unsteadily, realising that most of the blood wasn't from me but feeling light headed with the come down from the adrenaline rush and exhaustion finally hitting me. Walking slowly back to the now open gate, I looked up to the Grandmaster's box, with its long white couch and hordes of attendants standing behind. The Grandmaster was clapping excitedly, but at the far end I could see Loki, sitting, leaning forward, arms in his knees as he stared at me, his expression unreadable. I hoped he saw the middle finger I thrust into the air in his direction as I limped off, clasping myhand to a cut my opponent had inflicted on my upper arm. I couldn't look back as they dragged the body of my opponent off the sand. I got into the pen and threw up until there was only bile left.

Weirdly though, that wasn't the hardest thing emotionally I had to go through during my time on Sakaar. Worse was to come…


	2. Chapter 2

The big tournament fights luckily didn't happen that often, I think mainly because the Grandmaster was currently quite short of contenders, so he had devised other ways of passing the time. He, did of course, have his Champion, but he was for special fights and occasions only.

 _OK, so this, unlike the fight, I do remember clearly._

"We have to do what?" I cried as I picked and clutched a minute gold bikini in disbelief.

"The Grandmaster likes to show his gladiators off to his top clients so they clean us up, oil us down and get us to serve drinks and generally walk around looking buff" said Korg who was trying, and failing, to pick up a long length of the same gold fabric with his huge boulder hands.

"You might have to help me with this loin-cloth actually, Mike used to do it, but…" Korg looked as sad as a face made of granite could for a moment as we remembered the poor departed mountain man "and I'm not asking Miekke" he concluded, rather sensibly since his friend had knives for hands.

"And do it tight, last time I had women trying to play with my pebbles all night" Despite the appalling situation I was sure about to unfold I burst into helpless giggles.

"It wasn't funny" Korg sniffed, hurt by my laughter. I patted his arm consolingly, accidently starting a small rockfall of shale.

From my studies in Roman history when I was an undergrad student, I knew that this had been a common ritual back back on Earth - all the rich and powerful liked a bit of rough to grope and leer at. Only thing was that I had never thought I'd be the bit of rough.

The only upside of the whole demeaning thing was that I got the chance to have a wash and change into something other than the leather armour I'd been wearing for days. A team of giggling women had descended into the gladiator pen tasked with getting us ready for the evening's entertainment. The two that had brushed and done up my hair looked quite annoyed they had missed out on helping one of the other male fighters who were taking great delight in being oiled all over.

They awkwardly held the perfumed oil bottle out to me, but I declined. I looked silly enough wearing a bikini with a little train of fabric attached to my arse like a chicken, let alone being shiny. The gold arm rings they wrapped around my upper arms were a nice touch though, I had to concede, and they hide the scar of my healing war-wound. They might also come in useful as I could try and ram them down the throat of anyone who tried to touch my pebbles or anything else.

Deciding I should find out how ridiculous I really did look, I tentatively stepped in front of a full length mirror. My blonde hair had been curled and pinned up so I looked less scruffy than usual when it was down on my shoulders loose. As someone who on Earth wore a one piece to the beach and still felt self conscious, I was shocked that I was delighted by the reflection staring back at me. My body looked strong but lush - curves and strength combined. For all I hated the idea of a bikini it certainly did great things for my boobs, I had to admit. I felt like a warrior princess and the knowledge that I still had Loki's knife in my boot gave me a sense of power and confidence.

The column of gladiators made an impressive sight as we walked silently and impassively into the huge neon-lit ballroom, pulsing with techo synth. We were directed to stand along the wall, like a live art installation or cattle market. We were the walking advertising for the power and wealth of the Grandmaster while the guests danced languidly or lounged on huge bright velvet couches. As the only woman in the line I could feel the eyes of the party goers on my body so I made sure I kept my eyes resolutely above their heads and looked around room instead, taking in the fantastically dressed party goers.

We'd been warned that any violence or attempt at escape would have rather fatal consequences, but I still couldn't keep my eyes from darting to the guarded doors looking for an opportunity to find a way out. Of course, even if I'd made it out the doors I had no idea how to get back to Earth, and outside the city seemed more perilous than in here. Frankly, after seeing what lived out in the rubbish dumps, dying in the arena was a better way to go than being cannibalised.

Slowly I realised that one by one the gladiators were being called away by the guests, chosen like cakes from a window front. They followed their new masters either looking rather pleased when they had been selected by an attractive woman or man or grim faced if their new 'friend' was less to their liking. The line was getting shorter and shorter, and this was one time that I was definitely not going to be concerned about being picked last for the team. This was one game I did not want to play.

"Hello there pretty, are you a pussy cat or a tiger?" simpered a short fat man, with more chins than I'd thought physically possible to possess. He was so diminutive that I hadn't seen him walk up to me as he was so far below my eyeline. Dressed in a shiny silver wrap he reminded me of a well done baked potato in tin-foil. Worse than his appearance I realised that in his hands he held two chains, each attached around the necks of two miserable looking young girls, thin, mottled with bruises and even more underdressed than me.

"I, I…" I stammered. Of course we had been warned that saying no wasn't an option, it would be seen as the deepest offence to the Grandmaster's friends, but I knew that there was no way I could go anywhere near this person and do whatever it was he was going to expect me to do.

I was abruptly aware of a presence close by my side, his scent now familiar - sort of like wood and metal, but in a nice way. Where the hell had he come from, I wondered. I hadn't spotted him the room. Not that I had been looking, of course.

"Lord Perris, Your Magnificence, apologies for my rude intrusion but I happened to notice you appeared to be giving this unworthy specimen the gift of your company." I gave Loki a surprised look, wondering where he was going with this, not sure whether to be insulted or grateful. Loki ignored me completely, smiling in a concerned and deeply attentive manner at my new friend.

"While I can understand your initial interest, I thought it only best to warn you. Last week I had the unfortunate experience of spending some time with this creature, and I could not in good conscious allow you to make the same grave error." He concluded, giving me a stern look. Taking his lead, I tried to look suitably admonished and shamed, while desperately trying to hide a smile.

"But sir, whatever do you mean? If you mean she's not biddable, then I have more than enough experience at breaking their spirits" the baked potato simpered back in reply.

Loki lent down and whispered something in his ear. Perris visibly recoiled, staring in horror at me. I had no idea what he had said, but it must have been bad to put him off. He patted Loki on the arm "you poor man, I must commend you for saving me from such a distasteful experience! Come, we go!" he spun on his heels, his two slaves dragged in his wake. I watched him waddle off and then share the news with with others from his group, all of whom then shot me equally appalled looks.

"What did you say to him?" I whispered.

"That you gave me an incredibly awful rash and I almost lost my manhood to the infection. It was touch and go for a while there I told him" Loki whispered back, still gifting the room with his charming smile. I was so relieved I broke out into giggles but quickly tried to look solemn, and even a bit apologetic for my diseased state.

"I think it may be best for you to leave before you attract any further attention" he added, taking my hand in his.

I followed him to a quieter side chamber, mostly empty except for two low couches and walls covered in book shelves. It was beautiful, I had always loved libraries and this was awe inspiring, books and scrolls gathered on hundreds of shelves, just waiting to be explored. I opened up a gorgeously bound volume and sighed in regret - I'd been silly of course to expect it to be in any language I could read or speak. The text was foreign to me and impenetrable.

"Give it to me" Loki held out his hands and gently took the book from me. He made a small gesture with his right hand and a pale green light illuminated the pages. He handed it back and each page was now in written in elegant script - in English.

"Now that's impressive!" I gazed around me, a whole library, thousands of texts, all there for the reading - most never seen before by someone from Earth, and with Loki's magic…

"Would you like a drink?", I nodded and eagerly accepted a goblet of something that turned out to taste a bit like champagne, but sweeter and, looking back now, probably a lot more alcoholic. I wasn't concerned about that at the time and managed to neck it in two gulps. Ah, all that practice I had got at university was coming in handy. I helped myself to another.

He motioned for me to sit on the couch not far from him. We were opposite each other, within touching distance but not touching. He gave me another of the appraising glances he seemed to specialise in, a glance that made the tightness in my stomach leap and my head feel whoozy, although that could have been the wine .

I was all too aware that sitting brought my ample bosom even more in his eye line. I was also conscious of my little tummy roll, and placed my hands on my lap to hide it, then instantly rebuked myself for being worried with he thought of me. His presence made me feel, I wasn't exactly sure but it felt complicated? I didn't trust him, although to his credit he hadn't done anything to hurt me, but his past made me wary. That didn't stop me becoming more and more aware just how attractive he was, his pale skin, dark hair and cheekbones you could slice cheese on.

"Everytime I see you you seem to be wearing less and less. Is this some sort of desperate cry for attention?" he smirked, leaning forward as his voice grew lower

I wasn't quite sure how to answer that, so I stayed silent, and sipped my third drink.

"Now...I remember that when you were given the opportunity to choose between probable death or...other options " His eyes left my eyes and lazily trailed down my neck and to the top of my breasts.

"..you seemed quite keen to choose death. While you have been surprisingly resilient, I thought that perhaps you would like to reconsider your answer Pet?" he said, using the Grandmaster's name for me to rile me up.

Through the alcohol fuelled fog I became vaguely aware that he might be propositioning me.

"Well, given I have so far not yet apparently died, I really depends i suppose" I replied slowly after a pause, my heart beating fast.

"Would it be... be horrible, long, slow and painful?" I tried to look worried.

He chuckled. "probably"

"Hmm..and the death option?"

He threw back his head with laughter, giving me a split second to try reach for the blade in my boot, slightly hampered by holding a wine glass at the same time and feeling ever so slightly not very coordinated. Just as quickly though, he'd cast it out of my hand and grabbed me, pulling me onto his couch and basically onto his lap. He was holding me,one arm wrapped over my hips, the other higher, his hand grazing my right breast. I sat frozen for a minute, his breath on my neck, painfully aware of the thinness of the fabric of my bikini, and the warmth and hardness of his leather clad body behind me.

"Stop playing games and stop fighting me. I'm being nice, but I can make you submit to me you know"

"I could make you beg for me" Loki whispered into my ear as a shiver engulfed my whole body.

His other hand left my breast and touched my forehead, and I felt a strange sensation in my head, like a pulling, and although it wasn't logical, I knew he was there, in my mind and in my thoughts. I heard him hiss as he recognised the depth of my desire and the dying echoes of my fear of him. His hand slide from my hip down into the cleft of my thighs. I so desperately wanted to spread my legs and welcome him into my core that I could feel growing wetter by the second.

"Oh pet, I can feel how much you want me..give in to it...you and I are going to have so much fun…"

Using perhaps my entire lifetime of willpower and hither unknown strength, I pulled myself away from his grasp and to my feet, standing just outside of the reach of his arms. I raised my hands, in a more metaphorical, rather than serious attempt to fend off any further advances. He looked… amused.

I have no idea how I looked, but I knew how I felt - drunk, horny and yet increasingly angry. The horny part of me wanted to walk over, undo his leather pants and impale myself on his cock, riding him until I came in shuddering ecstasy. _(LOL, If I knew what I knew now, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself. Sorry, spoilers)_

But there was another voice in my head, drunk sure, but hurt and angry, and it drowned out everything else.

He sat there, always so sure that I would throw myself at him, and always with the subtle threats if I didn't. I knew he had magic, and I knew from the stories on Earth that he could probably use mind control. Well, fuck him, fuck them all. He'd been having a lovely time making new friends and partying. I'd been thrown into a cell and made to fight for my life. I chose to ignore that some of that outcome may have been down to my own choices, but still, it definitely didn't seem fair.

It would be so easy to say yes, to give in to him, to say yes, take me, have me, look after me. But I realized with sudden clarity that I'd done that too many times before, chased after the false security of someone else, given in to my feelings, said yes only to later regret it. I'd always been the one to give in, back down, make excuses for their actions, make all the effort, make the running - all so I wouldn't be alone. That's the real reason I'd put up with my ex for so long even after his little comments and his insensitivity ripped me apart. I had simply been too scared to be by myself after my mother had died. She'd been alone, been with no one else since my father, so was I that desperate not to end up like her?

But I was alone, because everyone had walked away, and I was so sure, that if I gave in now, it would happen again, if not tonight then tomorrow. And I couldn't do that. Not again, not that pain, it had been bad enough being rejected by a man in the past, but to be rejected by a God?

Someone else at this stage might have gotten teary, I, well, I got sweary.

"Look, arsehole, with your smile and your leather, I want a lot of stuff that I know is bad for me, liking eating chocolate for breakfast and cocktails all day instead of going to work. But, I don't do them, just because my body wants something, doesn't mean my mind is going to agree, so don't think you know what I want!" I was flustered, but to my credit I was still managing to resist the urge to run to him and climb him like a tree.

"Anyway, why is this always about me? Wanting me to beg, wanting me to submit you, why you get to sit there, fully clothed, and all ...leathery?" I was getting quite into this now. Did I mention the three glasses of wine?

I closed the gap between us and poked him in the chest with my finger. He looked down at my finger and arched an eyebrow. This may not have been the usual mortal behaviour he was used to.

"Is it some weird God thing? Why the power games and the threats? God, I'd shag Mr Potato Head out there if it meant I could spend an hour in here with these books and in peace. Making someone submit to you out of fear or a worse alternative isn't power you know. It's not hard" I was quickly running out of steam as he continued to stare at me silently

"I know you are the god of mischief, or chaos or green… whatever, but seriously. I think you are so used to stirring shit up and laughing as we all run around screaming that you don't even why you do it any more. We are just playthings - little chess pieces you throw across a board for a laugh." He wasn't smiling anymore.

"Why not decide what you actually want, not what chaos you can cause, and then have the guts to stop the threats and the tricks and actually ask for it? Preferably nicely. Maybe even use the word please. Unless you're scared people would say no" I finished, although what I really had wanted to add was: and in case you are wondering, I wouldn't say no. Not now, not since I met you, even though it made no sense, even though I had no idea what he was capable of, I wouldn't have said no.

Dear gods, he was quick and strong, he was up and grabbing my arm, pulling me into him before I had a chance to move. He put his lips to my ear.

"I'll tell you what I want…"

Steps echoed in the room and I could feel him freeze. The pressure in my arm suddenly increased as Loki twisted my wrist so I yelped with pain. He turned to the intruders with his usual charming smile firmly in place. It was the entourage of the Grandmaster - masked bodyguards accompanying their leader, who hovering like a Dalek in a floating chair had himself made no sound. He smiled at us disconcertingly, looking from one to the other, curious and obviously seeking an explanation for what he had walked/hovered in on.

"My lord. Apologies for manhandling your property." said Loki, sounding like a charming, but very apologetic guest, "I was just reminding her of what I did to the last mortals I came across who didn't cooperate with a God" he paused, and gave me a cold dismissive look "But actually, on second thoughts, they do rather tend to break too easily to be diverting" he flung my arm away, and I was left standing there, rubbing my aching wrist.

The Grandmaster, shared a questioning glance with Topaz who had stomped in after the group, looking as dour as ever.

"I'll find you a more pleasing diversion, but first I think I've decided the party is over" He motioned to his guards, two of whom took my arms and walked me away, although I didn't resist. After whatever that had been I was more than happy to leave their company and go back to my nice cell with Korg and the simplicity of being with people who mostly didn't talk to me or could be discouraged from coming near me with a blade. It would also give me time to sober up and try to remember what the hell I had said, and possibly even more time to work out _why_ I had said it. Argh, had I really told a God to say please?


	3. Chapter 3

I probably shouldn't admit that I spent the next couple of days going over what the hell he might actually have been going to say, or whatever the hell the whole damned encounter actually even meant.

I considered various possible options for what he was going to say, and calculated probability likelihoods for each. Example:

"I want"... hmm, 'to make you scream and bleed and die painfully until I feel slightly better about my thwarted attempt to rule your planet' - seemed quite likely

'I want to have a 3 year relationship with you but then decide that actually I want someone more 'emotionally available' (which seemed to mean even blonder, thinner and less damaged by the death of her mother) - that one seemed relatively unlikely I had to concede.

Also unlikely was the reason he'd given to the Grandmaster, I didn't understand the dynamic between those two, but I didn't believe that Loki had really been about to say what he did - although, knowing (or should I say, not really knowing) Loki, I could have been completely wrong. I gave it a 50-50 odds.

More likely though it was 'I want you to shut up, you drunk cow, because I want a quick fuck and then never see you again while you hopefully die in a stinking prison while I wile away my hours drinking more of this wine and plotting my next evil deeds. And shagging everything in sight". And we have a winner! Fucker.

Oops, I suppose I should have mentioned that by the time I was in Day Two of 'What would Loki Have Said', his brother had arrived. He looked less pleased to be there than I did and apart from a quick exchange of hellos, and oh, are you from Earth and me slightly putting my foot in it by saying sorry to hear Jane had dumped him, we left each other alone to our own thoughts. Well I did, Korg chatted to him. A lot.

Also, I was feeling very much over Gods in general, and possibly slightly sulking that I hadn't heard or seen Loki since the library. Oh, until he had suddenly appeared in front of Thor the day after his arrival.

I was sitting to his right, a little around the curve of the cell wall from him. When he materialised I sat stock still, hoping he wouldn't notice me. Luckily he seemed much more concerned with his brother, who seemed to have as much time for him as I did and was lazily throwing small stones through Loki's body. Something in me relaxed when I realised belatedly he wasn't actually there in person, and so I laughed as Thor managed to get a shot right through Loki's smug head.

Loki heard the sound and for a moment diverted his attention from Thor to me "Oh I see you've met my little pet. Don't let her near the wine whatever you do" he winked. I hefted a large stone though his chest, which made a gratifying clunk as it hit the wall behind him. Loki laughed and disappeared.

"Piss off Ghost!" Korg stomped on Loki's departed shadow.

"So, I see you've met my brother?" Thor asked

"Your brother is…" I stopped, not sure if I should give a frank opinion of his sibling, although to be honest, they didn't seem to have the best relationship either. I was also wishing the English language had a word for 'someone who you would like to simultaneously take you over and over again in all the worse possible ways, while slapping them around the head for being so bloody annoying and being a little afraid they might try and stab you'. I bet the Germans have a word for that...

"Selfish? Charming? Self centred? Capable of great evil? Ambitious? A complete pain in the arse?" he ventured. I laughed and then grew silent.

"Is he the same man he was when he attacked Earth? Is there any capacity for kindness in him?" I asked softly, embarrassed by my question, but unable not to ask it.

Thor bit back a quick retort, and sighed

"I don't know, sometimes I think he regrets the things that he has done, and can care for others, in his own way, but I don't honestly know" I could feel him looking at my curiously, but I avoided his gaze.

And then, from somewhere deep inside, I realised that I had asked a question I already had the answer to.

"He loved your mother and Odin, of course, even though he felt betrayed by him. But losing Frigga hurt him deeply. Think he feels like he's betrayed her memory and now there's no way back. I think he takes what he wants through force and pain and control because he doesn't think anyone would show him kindness or love. It would make him too vulnerable…" I stopped as I looked up and saw Thor staring at me intently, his face confused.

"How do you know our mother's name?" he asked quietly. " Did Loki tell you this? Did Jane tell you?" _(Thor seems to think that all the people on Midgard know each other)_

I shook my head, a bit taken aback by his reaction.

"No, I just…just ignore me. Too little sleep and too much stress - I'm going mad" I laughed until he looked away.

I rubbed my forehead, realising that I didn't know how I knew this, where it had all come from. I knew he hadn't told me, because we'd barely talked. We certainly weren't at the deep and meaningful, talk about your feelings and past traumatic events stage.

No, it felt more like unlocking the memory of a dream, except I knew it was true - I knew what Loki felt, I'd sensed it clear as day. Somewhere in the depths of my mind I began to feel the same ache in my temples that I'd felt at the party when Loki had touched me - and it all came rushing back.

I knew he'd read my emotions and thoughts, but what I hadn't realised at the time was that it had been a two way street. Had he realised this? I hadn't even known until now, so maybe not. How he would react I couldn't predict, but I wasn't in a rush to tell him that I'd seen his pain and his fragility. And then I remembered what other emotions I'd picked up from him.

Oh. My stomach, and slightly lower parts, did a little flip. Oh indeed. Although, I thought with a smile, I'm still going to make him say please.

The day of the next great competition, I wasn't taken out to fight, or even take part so you'll have to talk to Thor, or for a more accurate version, try Brunnhilde.

I was pleased when Korg announced that Thor had at least survived his fight against the Champion who weirdly sounded like the Hulk, although I have to say that I still don't entirely understand why the Hulk was on this shit egg of a planet in the first place.

Thor didn't return though, and I hadn't seen Loki again, so my days were long, filled with glaring at any of the fellow Gladiators who tried to get close to me, and trying to ignore Korg's eternal, and mostly misplaced optimism. I had no idea what was there to be happy about, we were going to die here most likely. Also, and more depressingly, regardless of what Loki may have been thinking a few days ago, I suspected with the arrival of Thor I'd probably been dropped off the bottom of his To Do List.

The tedium was finally broken when alarms rang outside the cell, and putting my ear against the doors I could hear what sounded like weapon fire, running and screaming. I managed to jump back as the doors opened and an unfamiliar face rushed in grinning.

"It's freedom time bitches! Arm up and we are taking over!" Korg lead us out, being our unofficial leader, while I followed in his wake.

Making our way into a huge cavern filled with spaceships of every size and shape Korg suddenly stopped.

"Hey man, I'm Korg. We are gonna get out of here, wanna come?" asked Korg, dragging an overstuffed net full of stolen weapons behind him. I pushed my way to the front of the group of escaped fighters to see who the rock man had been talking to. My lips curled into a smile as I recognised the figure lying prone on the hanger floor, obviously still recovering from being shocked by an obedience disc.

Spotting the controller I picked it up, knowing full well that he was watching my every move.

Looking straight at him I toyed with the button, considering giving it a short press just so I could watch as his body arch from the electricity.

"Here" and threw it on his chest, and then kept walking to the huge vessel ahead that Korg was aiming for. It had been so tempting to cause him pain just to even up the score, but I'd decided to be the better person. I wasn't in the mood to speak to him though, I had no idea what to say, so I quickened my steps. If he was going to escape with us it might be good to put a bit of space between him and me.

The ship in front was massive, bigger than anything I had ever seen, probably some kind of people carrier as it had a large ramp that opened up into a large cavern and then corridors, rooms and cabins beyond.

(Sorry, just to say, it's quite comfy actually - managed to find a nice room in the end. Did I mention the great linen? Oops, sorry, back to the story.)

So us ragged bunch of gladiators that had followed Korg's call to arms got on board.

WIth no idea of where a engine room or control room might be I just walked down a corridor towards what I hoped was the front of the ship but a few turns later I came to a door that refused to open no matter how much I pressed on the console by its side.

Cursing I went to retrace my steps but turning around a corner I found myself grabbed and pushed hard up against the wall, a huge hand wrapped around my neck.

Fuck, I recognised the man as Berkhead, ok so that might not actually have been his name, but something like that at least. More importantly it had been his brother that I had killed in the arena last week in my one and only fight. They were both on Team Blue and I'd heard rumours that he felt that his brother had been dishonoured in fighting, and losing to, a woman. There was definitely a family resemblance, like overgrown pug dogs that had been run into a wall a few times for good measure.

Two of his companions were behind him doing a good job of looking equally menacing. I cursed my stupidity that I hadn't thought to grab any weapons from Korg and that I couldn't reach down into my boot to get my knife (that Loki had surprisingly returned after I sort of tried to stab him in the library). I quickly thought through my limited options - although breathing didn't seem to be one of them currently.

"I think it's about time we had a little fun. You owe me you bitch"

His face leered closer to mine, his black teeth and scars swaying unsteadily in front of my eyes as I could feel myself start to lose consciousness.

"This one's mine" I heard a quiet, familiar voice say.

The pressure on my throat suddenly disappeared and I fell forward as I heard yelps of pain and then footsteps departing hurriedly away. Panting and rubbing my neck I could see leather boots and trousers in my eyeline. Shit, talk about out of the frying pan and into the very confusing, but unmistakably attractive, fire.

Loki reached down a hand and I reluctantly took it unsteadily, pulling myself up to my feet.

I seriously had no idea where I stood with him after my little drunken speech so I tensed myself for a blade in ribs as his body pressed me against the wall, the warm leather of his trousers soft against my naked legs. I couldn't look at the floor forever so I forced my eyes to meet his.

He gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and instantly my traitorous body responded to his touch. I almost couldn't breathe I was so numb with desire. Every nerve ending was on red alert. He cocked his head to the side, a small cold smile playing on his lips.

"That's the second time I've saved you. You should say thank you." I felt him push something small into my right hand and then he just left me there and walked away.

"Thank you" I said to his departing back, and I stood there feeling a bit overwhelmed and slightly ridiculous as his footsteps echoed into silence.

I'll remember this bit for the rest of my life - i looked down and in my hand was my mother's necklace. And, well, that pretty much changed any opinion I had had of Loki.

Dumbfounded, confused and not knowing what else to do, I put it on and I went back down the hallway, stepping carefully over a meandering thin trail of blood.

I found Korg and Miekke looking a bit lost after Loki had apparently declared himself leader. We managed to find the control room as I felt the ship lift and fly out of the huge hangar and out into the pink Sakaaran sky.

Loki was sat, pressing buttons on consoles spread in front of him, looking like he knew what he was doing. Which was good, because I really don't think the rest of us did. There were other seats close by, very Starship Enterprise, I thought, but that was my only spaceship reference point really.

Korg and Miekke stood looking bewildered at the back obviously a bit overawed with the day's turn of events. Korg was finally getting a revolution, although from what and with whom seemed a bit confusing at the moment.

"Can I help?" I asked quietly. It was either that or standing around awkwardly. Loki turned and gave me a curt nod after a moment and then directed me to the one of the chairs set in front of the control panels.

"See that red blip on the screen" he pointed to a console reminiscent of a old computer game. I nodded.

"I'm pretty sure that's my idiotic brother. Keep an eye on it and make sure we follow it." Looking through the huge curved screens, and far ahead across the cityscape, I could see smaller fast ships firing on another vessel headed, as were they, to a huge red tornado shaped gash in the sky.

"Where are they, we, going?"

"Asgard. You and your rock friend's little revolution are going to help me save my planet, and I'll be hailed as a hero" he laughed, without humour.

"Sounds like a good plan" I said, while thinking what?!

Loki smiled, "Well, Plan A was betray my brother, get the reward, then get the hell off this planet. This is Plan B - kill my hell bitch of a sister, save Asgard and be the saviour of my people" he turned back to his console, ignoring me. Thor had told me the whole long lost sister Goddess of Death story so I wasn't exactly dying to meet her. (Oh, and apparently Plan A also included buying my freedom. Well, that's what he says now…)

Anyway, well, on a personal dynamic level, even without the imminent threat of battle, this was awkward. I really wanted to say thanks for the necklace and the saving me from the pug properly. Actually, I wanted to say a lot more than that, but I had never been one for dealing well with passive-aggression, if this is what it was. Although to be fair with Loki, given the last time we'd really spoken it had been more aggression-aggression. Nothing passive about someone saying they thought they could break you.

So I watched the blip, kept quiet and tried not to think about the man sitting within yards of me.

"So why are you here?" I felt a presence behind me, like someone was standing right behind the chair, leaning down and whispering in my ear. "What the actual fuck?" I think my first thought was. I glanced over, Loki was still in his seat, still apparently steering the ship through the space junk raining down on the vessel as we neared the Devil's Anus (yes, really).

"I'm helping…" my power of speech was faltering " I want to help, I like your brother. He's nothing like you. Lovely guy, doesn't have your obsession with asking people to beg for their freedom or trying to destroy my planet" I continued, thinking attack was always the best form of defence, getting the words out before I could rethink the wisdom of saying them.

"So you _don't_ want me then?" the voice purred, and I felt the ghost of hand slip down my neck and into my leather corset to cup my breast.

Oh god, it felt so good to have his cool hand on my nipple and I heard myself moaning softly, cursing my lack of self control. Some part of me thought I should be telling him to leave me alone, but I completely ignored that voice.

"Are you sure you don't want me?" his fingers brushed across my nipple again, tweaking it gently. I then felt his other hand skim the surface of my body till it reached the gap between my thighs. Last time I'd resisted, played hard to get. No more.

Closing my eyes so I could concentrate of the delicious sensations, I spread my legs slightly, and gasped as fingers teased their way past my underwear and rubbed across my clit. Another moan escaped my lips as his fingers slide deeper inside of me. I couldn't stop myself from pushing myself up to meet his fingers, aching to feel them deeper inside me. My hands were clenched onto the chair's arms as i tried not to scream obscenities. I wanted to beg him to fuck me, to fist me, to give me all of him. He kissed the side of my neck and it felt like he was all over me, touching me everywhere, my whole skin an erogenous zone. Snd still his fingers slowly fucked me, two then three, thrusting in and out, setting a rhythm bringing me almost to the point of climax.

Somehow I opened my eyes and looked over, Loki was still sitting in the other chair, Korg and Miekke still obvious to what was going on.

"How the fuck are you doing this?" I moaned softly as his fingers teased and circled rubbed the nub of my clit causing little tremors through my thighs.

"I'm a god" I felt his breath on my neck as he laughed softly. "Do you want me to tell you what I want?" I ground against his hand, needing him deeper. I nodded, as the sensations began to overwhelm me, speech now almost impossible.

"I want you to say that you are mine" he whispered

"Fuck you" I moaned and arched my hips higher as he withdrew his fingers. I growled in frustration.

"Say it. You wanted me to ask nicely, well, I am. I want you to tell me that you are mine. I'll even say please. Admit to yourself what I've known all along. You are mine" he whispered as I tried to press myself up against fingers I couldn't even see.

"I hate you….,I'm yours" I cried as he thrust deep inside me, my body exploding with the hardest orgasm of my life. I was left panting and flushed as suddenly his presence was gone.

I tried to gain control of my limbs and turned to see him sitting with a very pleased look on his face, steadfastly ignoring me like nothing had happened . Bloody hell, I'd just had the most erotic sexual experience of my life with someone who hadn't actually physically touched me. And I wanted more.

But, we had other things to do first re Hela and Asgard.

We stood side by side, uneven rows of gladiators formed up behind us as the ship descended into fog and we readied ourselves on the aft deck, sounds of fighting coming out of the mist.

"Don't die" he called back to me as he walked forward, morphing into his full leathered armour and helmet.

"The horns are stupid!" I called back, and I heard him laugh as he disappeared into the fog and make that saviour speech. (And yes, I'm still mocking him for that.)

(Oh and I do feel a bit bad about the horns comment as they are Asgardian cultural 'thing'. Everyone seems to have them as part of their armour. Oops.)

As for Ragnarok, read the sagas. One good thing - armies of undead green glowing warriors don't bleed on you when they die. Bad things - pretty much everything else. It was unspeakable in many ways, but I survived. Many didn't. I tried to help the Asgardians get on board the ship, to escape the nightmare, but I know we didn't, we couldn't, save them all.

When it became apparent that we couldn't stop Hela any other way Loki sprinted past me back to the Commodore, and I followed him.

"This is madness" He said grimly as we flew as close as we could into the heart of the citadel. God, it had been a beautiful city, you could tell that even through the devastation and the chaos. Everything was on an unimaginable scale and cast in gold. I spotted something on our way into the throne room that I reminded myself to ask Loki about later.

We did what we needed to do, and got out of there - when I shut my eyes I can see the burning image of the horns slowly morphing and growing into a huge grotesque human form.

We managed to steer the ship away just as Asgard exploded, Loki's eyes never leaving the burning realm, his home, as we fled. I stayed silent, just watching him. What could I say when he had lost everything?

Loki pressed various buttons and then stood. I could feel him staring at me in a way I was finding hard to ignore, even as I avoided eye contact with him and found something really interesting on the consoles to look at instead. All of a sudden I was very aware that we were alone on the vessel.

"When will we reach the other ship?" I asked, gazing into the dark void of space as if I might spot their rear tail lights, like a distant car on a highway.

"In minutes if I wanted to...but I don't want to"

He walked slowly over to my chair and spun it round slowly to face him. I wondered what he'd do if I tried to scoot it back around but decided to just stare awkwardly at his feet instead while feeling like a deer in really big headlights. Looking at the floor was definitely the safer option than looking up and seeing his expression.

Oh Fuck Oh Fuck Oh Fuck Oh Fuck.

My body hummed with excitement, and a little fear. Definitely a touch of fear, after all I'd seen what he could do if angered and I didn't really know him, but the fear was overlaid with intense desire. Not just because of how the very sight of him made me weak with want, and always had - although I'd tried hard to fight it, but because I knew it was mutual.

The decision I'd made on Sakaar came back to me, life was too short and too random to worry about tomorrow or the long term. If it was just for today, then fine, I'd take that and walk away with my head held high. And I had to find a way to thank him for returning my mother's necklace didn't I?

I took a deep breath, raised my eyes and let him take my hand and guide me to the back of the decor was appalling, just like I imagined the Playboy house would have looked in the 1970's, but without the artistic restraint or taste. The slaves on Sakaar should have murdered the Grandmaster for crimes against fashion, let alone the whole killing, made to fight to the death thing I thought. I was trying to distract myself from noticing that Loki obviously knew his way around the ship's buttons as he was now sitting on a huge round purple velvet bed that I knew hadn't been there a moment ago. He patted the bed next to him in a meaningful way, giving me a look that both terrified and excited me.

Despite what had happened on the way to Asgard, this felt like the first time.

Loki looked up at me, taking in the Sakaar contender attire that I hadn't had a chance to change. I was filthy, sotty from the fires on Asgard and battle stained. That could be sorted later though, I decided. I had something to do first.

I walked up to him, and pushed his thighs apart with my foot, and very deliberately reached down and took the blade out of my boot and weighed it in my hand. Loki raised an eyebrow in question as he saw the knife, but we both knew I'd have no chance in attacking him - even if I'd had wanted to. I had different things in mind though. Rule 1, never show weakness. I smiled.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, God of Mischief, but when you were on Earth, um, you said something about mortals … now what was it? Oh, that's it, that our natural place was on our knees, I believe?" I started to slowly cut through the lacings that held my corset-like armour together.

"I forget now, what did you say again?" I teased as the laces in my top gave way and the corset opened completely, exposing my breasts to his view. I giggled as I saw a large bulge grow in his leather trousers.

"I think I said kneel before me mortals and worship your new god" he said, his voice husky, trying to hide his huge grin.

I laughed softly and knelt before him on the floor, Loki eyes widening and darkening with lust.

"Ah that was it. And us mortals always do what we are told" I slowly undid the laces of his d trousers, my breath catching when I realised he wasn't wearing anything under them and his large engorged cock sprang free. if all gods were like this, I couldn't understand why Jane let ever let Thor leave her bedroom, let alone dump him.

I was finding it hard to keep my mind on my plan, when all I wanted to do was straddle him and ride him like a pony till I came screaming. With effort I tried to regain my focus, even as I felt myself wet and hot with desire for him.

"And when we were down there, on our knees, you probably wanted us to beg for our lives, didn't you? You like it when we beg don't you?" I taunted him, leaning forward and running my tongue over the head, gently licking the glistening drop of liquid that had formed at the top. I could hear him moan as I took him fully into my mouth, my hands stroking his length and balls as I sucked and licked him until I felt he was close to losing control.

Lifting my head I released him from my mouth as he swore. I stood up and taking the knife again I made sure that I had his entire attention as I lifted up my tiny skirt and cut through the side strings of my thong, throwing it across the room as it came free.

Moving up the bed, I grabbed his arms above his head, and straddled him until he could feel himself nestled at my wet entrance.

"Beg me to fuck you" I smirked. "I want to hear you beg"

Of course we both knew that if he'd wanted to he could have pinned me to the bed in seconds, taken anything he'd wanted from me, so my control and power was an illusion, but from the look on his face I knew it was a game he was willing to play. I grinned wickedly as I lowered myself fractionally down and he moaned as he felt my wet heat around him.

"You are going to pay for this mortal" Loki made a guttural moan as I moved up again so he groaned in frustration.

"Fine" he said through gritted teeth "please".

"Oh Christ" I whimpered as I lowered myself onto the full hard length of him, the glorious width filling me more than she'd felt before, soothing the delicious ache I had to filled and fucked hard.

"Wrong god" Loki said as he finally took control, pinning me under him. I wrapped my legs around him as he thrust again and again until a wave of intense pleasure racked my body, matched by his own release.

We lay there, curled around each other, both reluctant to move, break the spell. But, there was one thing I really had to ask, something that had been bothering me since Asgard.

"Loki, did I imagine it, or was there a really huge golden huge statue of you…" I yelped as he spun me over and pushed me onto my knees.

"Enough talking"

"That's it, I'm in search of food" I was starving and thirsty since we'd managed to finish the pitcher of wine we'd nabbed from an unsuspecting Asgardian as we'd come on board. Since we had docked back onto the huge cruise ship we hadn't ventured out of the room that Loki had commandeered with a look. I left Loki still lying on the bed naked as I pulled back on the dress and wrap I'd 'borrowed' from the Commodore on our trip back. Eventually I thought I would try to 'borrow' some Asgardian clothes as there seemed to be a bit more to them that the flimsy Sakaarian clothes I currently had. Although since they were from an orgy ship, that probably shouldn't have been a surprise. I still desperately missed a good pair of jeans though.

With no idea of where the kitchens might be, or even indeed if there were such things as kitchens, I decided a scouting expedition was in order. Any fear I'd felt about new alien places and beings had dissipated, to be replaced with curiosity and a new sense of my strength to survive, and perhaps even thrive, in the unknown.

The ship was immense, long interconnecting corridors leading to either big rooms filled with confused Asgardians, family groups huddled together, parents consoling frightened children, or small luxurious cabins like Loki had commandeered for us. I felt a little guilty at that, but as Loki keep throwing into the conversation, he had been their saviour and was a Prince, and sometimes King, of Asgard. And he hated slumming it.

Occasionally I came across comrades from the Gladiator cells and we bade each other a wary nod of acknowledgment. Asgardians seemed to be aware of who I was, and who I was associated with. They were polite, but wary, and kept their distance. Mostly though, I was alone to wander and investigate, moving towards what I hoped was the front of the vessel. I knew where the control room was, I'd been there on the way to Asgard, but if you were a kitchen where would you be? I figured maybe the front bit, although it was a random guess.

Whether I'd be able to find my way back was another thing, but my stomach was rumbling too much to ignore. Of course Loki had suggested we just order someone to find us food, but that seemed a step too far.

The corridor ahead broadened out into a huge room with a massive window in the far distance, filled with open space and millions of small stars. Captivated by the view I walked softly forward across the darkened floor, only realising there were two figures seated ahead when I heard the murmur of voices. I paused, unsure what to do, but too intrigued to go back. Moving to the edge of the room, shadowed by pillars, I walked on softly until I could hear more clearly, hidden in the gloom. (Ok, I admit it, not the nicest thing to be eavesdropping on someone else's conversation, but let's just say I had an intuition that it may be important. Fine, I was really really nosey.)

I recognised Thor and someone I figured must be Heimdall, who I had heard of but not yet met.

"And Loki? He's here?" Thor asked Heimdall, who was sitting by his side.

"Yes, he arrived some time after we left Asgard... Not alone" he added after a pause. My ears pricked up.

Thor raised an eyebrow, "So the mortal girl is still with him? Do you think they are, you know"

Heimdall's face must have clarified something for Thor because he said something like "Seriously!?"

"There's something that you might want to know about her" Heimdall continued.

"She's got strange taste in men?" Thor laughed, but stopped when he realised Heimdall was deadly serious.

"I can't be entirely sure, but I think she was in Norway when you and Loki tried to escape Hela by the Bifrost, that's how she got to Sakaar"

Clever Heimdall I thought - afterall it the truth, although Thor had never worked it out.

"But the reason why she was in Norway in the first place is the interesting bit. I think her mother was from there originally and that's where she met Sophie's father and Sophie went back to visit the spot"

Thor looked at him blankly. Heimdall sighed. I froze. Why were they talking about my mother and my father? How did he even know this?

"Sophie's mother met her father in Norway. In the same spot you saw Odin before he died. A spot that he had chosen to return to years later. I don't see everything, and Odin certainly stopped me from seeing everything he did, but ..."

Even in the half gloom I could see Thor's face going from confused to aghast. At this point I can't remember what I was thinking, I'm not sure I could even process what had just been said.

"Fuck me. She's my half-sister?" Thor dragged his hand through his hair in shock, obviously forgetting he'd been shorn only a few days before. He suddenly stood up and turned to Heimdall.

"Given the last sister I just met….Oh my god, she's Loki's sister too...ok ok, not really in a weird way because he's adopted, but still… wow. Wow. So she's not really mortal?"

"Makes sense doesn't it. How she got dragged into the Bifrost and survived. And I've seen her fight, what mortal would have that sort of natural instinct and power?"

Thor paced the floor.

"She said something weird when we were in the cells together - she came out with all this stuff about how he felt, about Frigga - I wondered then how she could have known about that, about her name? It was like she'd read his mind, but no mortal could do that so I dismissed it" he paused, shaking his head in wonder.

"First time Loki gets a woman who's not an actual witch, demoness or paid for by the hour, and she's a daughter of Odin and his almost sister!" He paused, looking back at his friend

"Does Loki know? Fuck me, does she even know?" Thor crashed back down in his chair, apparently stunned by the news. Although not as fucking stunned as me.

Unseen in the darkness, I slumped to the ground, numb. This would certainly teach me not to listen to other people's conversations.

My mind raced as I tried to make sense of it- it couldn't be true could it? Surely my mother would have mentioned if she'd gotten off with a god -wouldn't she? I touched her necklace, my fingertips following the lines of the strange shaped letter on the ingot. Ok, so it was true that I knew nothing about my father, and my mother had always been pretty sketchy on the details, except that they had met in Norway, but still… It was a big huge leap from some random connect to Norway to being the daughter of a god.

"You can come out, I know you're there" called Heimdall's voice quietly.

Fuck. Running away felt like the most sensible option but probably not useful as we were trapped on a reasonably small spaceship and they would find me eventually. I pulled myself off the floor and walked into the room, looking suitable shamefaced for having just listened in on a private conversation.

"You knew she was there?" Thor questioned Heimdall who nodded.

"I apologise, Sophie is it? I should have found a way to talk to you before, but I wasn't really sure how to begin…I take it you heard everything? Do you think I'm right?"

I really wanted to say a lot of things, like he was mad, it couldn't be true. I didn't know what to say so I walked to the large windows looking out to the stars. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought I would get to space, do half the things I had done over the last few weeks - was it then so inconceivable that was Heimdall suggested was actually true?

OK, so I had never learnt to fight, a few classes of Tai Bo withstanding, yet fought like a battle hardened warrior. I'd survived being dumped from a great height onto a planet, and my body did seem remarkably resilient these days, a slight blush appearing on my cheeks as I recalled some of the more fun ways I'd tested its limits. But half god?

Occam's Razor - as mad as it seemed, the simplest answer was probably the correct one.

"I think you're right. I didn't know, but yeah, it makes sense" I said quietly.

"And Loki" questioned Heimdall, "does he know?" I started to think about how to answer that when Thor cut in,

"So are you guys, like, you know, together?" he asked, obviously unable to contain his curiosity or hide the surprise from his voice.

I raised an eyebrow and couldn't stop myself from laughing at that, not only his sheer amazement that someone would choose to be with his brother like that, willingly, but that it was the sort of question I would have hated on earth. In the past I would have always given a qualified answer - 'oh yeah we're friends, early days, too early to talk about it being a relationship'. Here though, with him, there was none of that bullshit. I was his. Ok, my feminist soul still re

"Yes"

Thor did a low whistle.

"By choice, no mind control, money changing hands, blackmail?" he suggested, almost hopefully. I shook my head.

"Drugs?"

"Fear?"

"Lost a bet?"

"You did something really awful in a past life?"

"He's holding your loved ones hostage somewhere?"

I folded my arms and waited patiently until he looked like he had run out of ideas.

"Thor" I asked gently. "Do you really, really want to know why I find your brother so attractive?"

A sudden look of comprehension dawned on Thor's face as he worked out what I could be alluding too. He shook his head furiously.

"Ah, no, it's fine!"

Turning back to Heimdall, I looked straight into his eyes before turning away and staring back out to the stars, suddenly feeling small daggers of fear in the pit of my stomach.

"I don't know if he knows, but I'm going to have to tell him"

So, yup. That's where we are at. I'm back, after demanding some poor Asgardian find us some food and wine. Especially wine.

He's asleep, I'm writing this and at some point i have to tell him the truth and … I don't know. How can I know how he's going to feel about it when I don't even know how I feel about it?

Current bets are on him being completely horrified or apoplectic with rage. Fuck.


	4. Epilogue

Epilogue

"You knew!?" Loki ducked as i threw another goblet at his head.

"You fucking knew I wasn't mortal and you didn't tell me?" as I looked around for something else to throw, Loki grabbed my arms and sat me on the bed beside him.

I tried to calm down. It really hadn't been the reaction that I'd expected. At all. I'd been scared he'd… I didn't know, but I did know his relationship with Thor was very complicated. Instead, he wasn't upset. it was like finding out you had your skirt tucked into your knickers - I was apparently the last to know. Except a bit bigger.

"Do you promise to stop throwing things?" he asked, rubbing his forehead where i had got him with a lucky first shot.

I nodded and then groaned, hiding my head in my hands, my face pink as I remembered.

"So when I did the whole 'ooh you wanted us mortals on our knees' bit you knew then that I actually, technically wasn't really a mortal and didn't bother to point it out?" I said in an accusing tone

He shrugged " You looked really into the idea. Ouch " he said as I whacked him.

"And, Pet, I have to say, that on the grand scheme of things that's probably not the biggest issue"

He was right, I had no idea what it meant to be half Asgardian. Did I have powers? Would I live for longer than a normal human? Would I develop a taste for horn-themed headgear?

But besides that there was something i needed to get an answer to.

"When, when did you know?"

He carefully pulled my mother's necklace out from under my dress where it had lain hidden between my breasts.

"See this, this is called Odin's Rune. I know you thought it was a funny shaped F, but it's his rune. And this is Asgardian gold. Watch" He passed his hand over the pendant and the rune seemed to shimmer and move.

Well, I suppose that explained why it had been so special to my mother.

"After your, let's be kind and call it a speech shall we, in the library, I came across the scrapper that had stolen it off you and took it back" he laughed evilly at the memory and I decided never to ask him what had happened to him. I was grateful though.

" I decided your mother had either stolen it" I gave him a hard look, which he ignored and continued "or it had been gifted by Odin to her after certain, ahem, events"

"And you were immune to my magic - not completely, but when I tried to… well, I couldn't"

"What?"

"The mind reading, I mean I could feel you wanted me, but frankly, anyone in a 10 mile radius could properly have realised that and.." I decided to ignore that particular comment, and waited for him to continue

"Er, and I may have tried to do a small bit of mind control on you, but it didn't work…" He looked at me slightly nervously and then did something a little surprising.

He got down on his knees in front of me and held my hands. Loki's expression was serious, no cheeky grin for a change, his eyes wet from unshed tears.

"I didn't want to tell you because when you find out that you aren't who you thought you were, that can… It can change you. More than you could ever know or guess. It can make you feel things and do things that you might later regret" Wow, I was shocked, and touched.

I nodded, trying to hold onto the reassuring sound of his voice, the concerned look in his eyes but I could still feel it coming - a huge tidal wave of panic and confusion as I tried to cope with my whole world dissolving around me.

He stroked my face gently as I started to drown and he felt me losing my grip. I found myself dragged to my feet and pushed up against the huge glass window that ran down the entire side of our quarters.

At first I thought he'd taken me there to show me the stars and realise how small my problems were compared to the enormity of the universe… but this was Loki.

I felt his hands on my hips, pulling up my dress revealing my naked ass.

"Spread your legs" he hissed into my ear, his hardness pressing into the cleft. I did as I was told and I braced myself with my hands on the window as he slide into me, still slick and a little sore from our last long session. His thrusts were hard, fucking me roughly till he heard my moans echoing around the room.

His fingers were on my mound, bringing me closer and closer to the edge. His other arm wrapped around my chest, holding me up against the force of him pounding into me.

"See the stars, this ship, anyone else? None of that matters. This is the only thing that matters" he thrust into me with each word, driving us both on until my muscles clenched around him and we came, united, with a cry.

"Nothing but this matters". He said softly, his arms enveloped me, still inside me, keeping me safe until I felt the panic reside.

As my breathing calmed, there was one last question that I needed to ask.

"So, what are we going to do with that?" His gaze followed mine to the leather bag almost hidden under the bedside table, the cube inside glowing faintly through the material in the gloom.


End file.
